Education

By Uzair Adam

The Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF), established by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator (Dr.) Barau I Jibrin, has published the list of beneficiaries for its 2024 foreign postgraduate scholarships.

The scholarships focus on fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics technology, cybersecurity, and forensic science.

A statement issued on Thursday by Ismail Mudashir, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Senator Barau, revealed that students from Kano Central, Kano North, and Kano South Senatorial Districts have been selected to pursue advanced studies abroad.

The scholarship initiative aims to foster academic excellence and support technological development in Nigeria.

The scholarships were designed to address the shortage of skilled professionals in these specialized areas.

Admission letters will be distributed to the beneficiaries on Monday, September 9th, 2024, at the Amani Event Centre in Kano.

This move aligns with Senator Barau’s commitment to educational empowerment and the promotion of expertise in cutting-edge technological fields.

By Abdurrazak Muktar

Grades play a crucial role in determining academic and professional opportunities, particularly in Nigeria. The importance of graduating with high grades, such as a 2:1 or a First Class, cannot be overstated. These distinctions not only reflect a high level of academic achievement but also significantly influence career prospects and societal perceptions.

In Nigeria, a First Class degree is often seen as a mark of exceptional capability and dedication. Graduates with such distinctions frequently find themselves in advantageous positions, receiving more attention from employers and academic institutions. This respect is not merely symbolic; it often translates into tangible benefits, such as better job opportunities and career advancement.

The significance of high academic grades is underscored by how people’s attitudes shift upon learning of one’s academic achievements. A First Class graduate, for example, can command immediate respect and open doors that might otherwise remain closed. This is not just about the prestige associated with such grades but also about the perceived reliability and potential of the individual.

The connection between academic success and professional opportunities is evident in real-world scenarios. For instance, prominent individuals in various fields often inquire about a candidate’s degree classification during recruitment or networking conversations. This highlights the weight that academic performance carries in shaping career trajectories.

Moreover, discussing school grades has become a notable topic in the Arewa media space. This debate is one of the region’s most engaging and influential trends, reflecting how deeply academic success is intertwined with personal and professional development. 

The discussion around grades not only fosters a competitive academic environment but also serves as a catalyst for broader conversations about educational standards and career prospects.

In conclusion, while opportunities exist for all graduates, those with higher academic achievements often have enhanced prospects. The debate around school grades, especially within the Arewa media, underscores the critical role that academic performance plays in shaping futures. Thus, striving for excellence in one’s academic pursuits is a matter of personal pride and a strategic advantage in the competitive landscape of career opportunities.

Abdurrazak Muktar (Makarfi) wrote via prof4true1@gmail.com.

By Fodio Ahmed 

The education crisis in Northern Nigeria has reached alarming proportions, with millions of children out of school and illiteracy rates soaring. We must take immediate action to address this crisis, and a private and public partnership led by the Federal Government is the way forward.

The federal government must lead the implementation of an ‘Emergency Education Liberalization of Northern Nigeria.’ This initiative should not only focus on reducing the number of out-of-school children and setting targets for illiteracy reduction but also on implementing a comprehensive strategy that leaves no stone unturned in achieving these goals.

To achieve this, a task force led by the President, with a prominent Northerner as Deputy 1 and a foreign expert as Deputy 2, should be established. This task force should collaborate with international organizations like UNESCO, the UN, the World Bank, and foreign governments like Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Morocco.

Furthermore, local and international philanthropists, Northern business leaders like Dangote and BUA, and UN Deputy General Secretary Amina Mohamed should be involved in this initiative. The private sector should manage funds to ensure transparency and efficiency.

In addition, Northern governors and LGA chairmen should submit lists of schools and enrollment figures. At the same time, traditional rulers, Imams, Pastors, celebrities, musicians, and social media influencers should be engaged to promote education. Skills acquisition centers should be established, and technical colleges should receive more equipment.

Finally, I firmly believe this approach can make significant strides in addressing the education crisis in Northern Nigeria. The time for action is now, and we must work together to ensure that every child in the region has access to quality education.

Fodio Ahmed wrote via penfodioahmed@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Thousands of students at Sokoto University are expressing concerns over the deplorable state of key lecture halls, just a week before exams are set to begin.

Images and footage obtained by SaharaReporters reveal a major facility, built by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to seat 1,000 students, in a state of disarray. 

The building’s roof has collapsed, and ceiling panels are missing, leaving students vulnerable to extreme weather and safety hazards.

Despite the university’s claims that alternative facilities are available, students are worried about the impact on their learning. 

However, the university’s spokesperson, Shehu, downplayed the concerns, saying, “The claim that some students were receiving lectures inside the halls is not true. It is the work of some mischief makers.”

He noted that the management is working to repair the damaged halls and that available halls will be used for exams. 

Shehu added, “Many of the buildings are affected by rainstorms and the management has repaired some. This particular TETFUND hall; we are making efforts to repair it. We have enough classes and lecture halls that will allow us to take our exams from next week.”

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin, PhD

With my viva voce a few days ago, the sojourn that began five years ago has ended. Although the coursework started late, around May 2019, it was successfully navigated through that year.

Postgraduate students often think coursework should be eliminated. They wonder how a PhD student could be sitting in a four-corner wall in the name of lectures, arguing that PhD candidates should dive straight into research. However, after completing the coursework, none of us agreed with that sentiment.

One notable sacrifice that potential postgraduate students should be prepared to make is financial freedom. Study not only limits one income but also eats deep into the fabric of the little one on the hand—it is an attack from a double front. So, it only takes individual ambition to succumb to that.

One common question from those considering enrolment but still undecided is, “How long will it take to finish a postgraduate program?” My quick response to them is to enrol as soon as possible because time will pass regardless. 

In Nigeria, pursuing a PhD is a journey where you likely only know the starting point, facing a path fraught with unforeseeable circumstances; the end sight can’t be rightly assured. While I read posts that some lucky individuals graduate in about three years, others aren’t as fortunate and may take seven years or more. So, I believe graduating in five years is an average.

The first major hurdle of my five-year PhD journey emerged at the beginning of 2020. Immediately after the year clocked, the COVID-19 pandemic struck the globe. The world came to a standstill as countries implemented stringent measures to combat the virus. In Nigeria, after the first confirmed case was announced in late February, we swiftly followed suit; wearing facemasks, using hand sanitisers, and maintaining strict social distancing became the order of the day. 

Despite the initial disruptions, as the pandemic began to wane, my supervisor and I would forge on, adapting precautionary measures. The lockdowns would be a blessing in disguise as they provided valuable time for my supervisory team and me to finalise our research topic and draft a comprehensive literature review manuscript.

Another significant hurdle arose with the ASUU strike. As early as February 2022, the agitation for the government to implement the 2009 agreement mounted. It began as warnings but escalated into an indefinite strike lasting eight months. Like the COVID-19 pandemic, the strike ultimately became a diamond in the rough. It afforded me more interactions with my advisors and crucially facilitated a collaboration with the Centre for Resources Recovery in Sweden, known for its extensive work in my research area. Leveraging the online meeting platforms adopted during the pandemic, such as Zoom, expedited our collaboration.

Another serious hurdle I encountered was frequent power outages. Just as I was about to enter the lab after completing all preparations, ABU experienced a series of power disruptions; their light would be cut due to failure to pay the bills—an issue I had never expected. This cultural shock paled in comparison when I later heard that even Aso Rock faced threats of power cuts. The inconsistency of electricity, compounded by national grid collapses and ABU light cuts made the initial stages of setting the research in motion unforgettable.

A five-year journey demanding a high level of commitment, teamwork, tight schedules, and stringent deadlines, in addition to the inherent conflicting perspectives in group work, inevitably led to clashes—sometimes titanic ones. However, what mattered most was understanding each other’s viewpoints and even finding humour in the aftermath. You have an added advantage for those who are naturally diplomatic, persuasive, and humorous: you will come to handle such pressures far more easily.

One of the major successes of my PhD journey was the significant contribution to knowledge pioneering an innovative method: the development of mesoporous support for heterogeneous fermentation for the first time. This achievement has culminated in forthcoming publications in high-impact (or not-so) journals, the filing of a patent, and facilitated international collaborations.

No matter how daunting the task may seem, it can’t be insurmountable, provided there is consistent effort (even a bit), patience, and perseverance.

Bilyamin Abdulmumin, PhD, is a public affairs commentator and science writer. He can be reached via bilal4riid13@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has set up a panel to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against a professor from the Faculty of Arts.

The university announced the formation of the panel through a circular issued by Mr. B. D. Jonathan, the panel’s secretary.

The Daily Reality gathered that the identity of the accused professor has not been disclosed in the circular, which was made available to journalists in Benin.

The university has called on staff and students with relevant information or who are potential victims to come forward.

The circular assures confidentiality and protection for those who provide information.

The decision to form the panel follows social media allegations made by a former student who claimed to have experienced severe harassment from the professor during her undergraduate studies.

By Mutalib Jibril

A few days back, I stumbled upon a post about two graduates from a particular university in Nigeria who went for a job interview. On getting to the venue, they started interrogating some workers in the organisation about the qualifications of the interviewer.

Unfortunately, the interviewer overheard their conversations and prepared to daze them with some basic questions in English, which he noticed most graduates usually struggle with. In no time, the interview commenced. It was a written test. They were handed their questions, and then they answered the questions.

Behold! They could not reach the cutoff mark, and they failed the questions. This is just one funny instance out of a thousand and one of how students often think their university is the best or better than others.

I agree that some universities are better than others in infrastructure, research innovations, and achievements. This is why we do have a university ranking annually.

However, I can categorically state that all universities have met the benchmark; better still, they have fulfilled all the criteria set by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC).

Any university that does not meet the set criteria for a particular course—let’s say Radiography, for instance, wouldn’t be accredited. Therefore, any institution running that course has met the requirements and been subsequently accredited by NUC.

Therefore, most students are oblivious that what makes an individual student stand out from their peers from other institutions is mainly tied down to individual sacrifices and effort.

This is not to say that the university doesn’t have a role in making students exceptional. No! Even if you attend the best university in Nigeria, the onus still lies on you to make yourself stand out. The school cannot teach you everything.

However, no matter the university you find yourself in, develop yourself and stand out.

It doesn’t matter if your university has the lowest ranking in the country; I know that no university would be accredited without meeting the requirements. Some standards must be met.

What matters is what you can do to ensure you are prepared for life after university and stand out.

Many people graduated from the least-ranking universities in Nigeria but are doing exceptionally well academically in Nigeria and abroad.

I have never heard of a scenario where a third-class graduate from a top-rated university is selected for a job over a first-class graduate from the lowest-rated university—I’m not talking about connections here. I am talking about employment based on merit.

It’s high time we stopped making unnecessary comparisons about universities. Let’s channel that energy toward making our self-development.

Mutalib Jibril wrote via mutalibdantanisabi300@gmail.com.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Six indigenes of Gombe State made the list in the 200 Scholarship Award of the African Union Development Agency in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), in partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), of the First Lady, Senator Remi Tunibu.

The commissioner of education, Prof Aishatu Umar Maigari, stated this on Thursday in Abuja while leading the successfully selected students from Gombe State to the award presentation.

The program according to the commissioner was designed to support secondary school graduates particularly from the less privileged families to further their education at the tertiary level.

Speaking at the unveiling, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House Abuja, the First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will continue to prioritize education as evident in the various policies and programmes been implemented in the sector since inception.

Senator Tinubu also emphasised that education and empowerment of the Nigerian girl-child will consistently be given priority attention to fill the gap with their male counterparts in receiving comprehensive formal education, which she said has brought about the need for the establishment of Alternative High Schools For Girls across the country.

In a remark, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, described the First Lady as an Education champion who is always concerned about the education of the younger generation and commended her initiatives under the Renewed Hope Initiatives, which are geared toward complementing the educational policies of the Tinibu-led administration.

The successful students to benefit from the initiative from Gombe State as approved by the office of the First Lady, Senator Tinubu, include Abdullahi Abubakar, Kamal Abdulsalam, Elisha Eglah, Muhammad Abdul-Azeez, Hajibukar Mohammed and Yunusa Umar Farouq.

They have since been inaugurated with others across the country and presented with their Award letters in a colorful event.

 By Anas Abbas 

The Jigawa State Government has collaborated with the Alfurqan Qur’anic Foundation, a Saudi Arabian-based Islamic organisation, to improve the Tsangaya Qur’anic education system. 

A delegation from the Foundation, led by Chairman Sheikh Abdalla Ibn Nasir Al-Utaibiy, met with Governor Mallam Umar Namadi at the Government House in Dutse on Friday to establish a collaborative relationship. 

The partnership aims to modernise the teaching of the Qur’an by employing new techniques to facilitate quick comprehension and memorization, particularly for the deaf and young children. 

Governor Namadi expressed his gratitude for the visit and the relationship being established, noting the significance of the Holy Qur’an.

The method will aid the deaf and young children in Jigawa State’s people. The state government has committed to prioritising Qur’anic education, with plans to integrate Islamic and Western education, as well as provide training in crafts and skills. 

Notable achievements include the establishment of three mega-Tsangaya schools, one in each senatorial district, and the creation of a special agency, the Tsangaya Board, to regulate and upgrade traditional Qur’anic education methods. 

This partnership is expected to transform and modernise the approach to Qur’anic education in Jigawa State.

By Isah Kamisu Madachi

The ubiquitous use of social media and other online platforms, marking the advent of the digital era facilitated by technological advancements, has revolutionised the Nigerian economy and labour market. The longstanding tradition of obtaining certificates and waiting for office work is declining, leading to a paradigm shift in the Nigerian certificate-based economy from valuing certificates to emphasising skills, akin to the trend in developed countries. It is silently moving from your paper to what you can offer. 

While I was not born in the 1970s and 80s, I believe it was difficult, if not impossible, to find someone with a certificate from a Nigerian institution engaged in skilled trades such as carpentry, tiling, wiring, and plumbing. During that period, when a certificate was earned, the expectation was to be employed by the government or a private organisation. However, the contemporary scenario is different, as it is common to find individuals with higher degree qualifications still actively engaged in such work. The emphasis on the value of practical skills is evident almost everywhere, including social media, classrooms, public lectures and capacity-building seminars.

Drawing from my sociology background, I am engaged in various activities such as YouTubing, blogging, essay writing, and video editing. A friend of mine, a law graduate, works with a radio station because of his oratory prowess. My mentor, who graduated years before I joined the university, now works with a leading newspaper in Nigeria because of his ability to write well. It is a common misconception among Nigerians to equate education or skill with certificates.

As a student, I have witnessed how things have changed. An internationally respected lecturer from my department who also worked in the same profession in the United States of America for many years remarked that nobody had ever inquired to see his certificate for the time he spent there. He only lists his certifications and compliments them with the knowledge and skills attached.

This shift from certificate-based to skill-based education is affecting the Nigerian education system because, despite the evolving changes in this endeavour, it seems to have found it difficult to adapt to the new reality. In schools, the focus is still highly on the certificates and theoretical aspects of the courses offered instead of skills. This continues to create discrepancies between what the job market needs and what schools produce.

Seeing overwhelming numbers of unemployed Nigerian graduates roaming the streets led frustrated Nigerian youth to conclude that school is a scam, chanting the famous “school na scam” phrase. This conclusion descended on even those who have yet to experience the reality of life after graduation. Gradually, it has become popular to the extent that overwhelming youth in Nigeria today choose to behave as if they just come to school to acquire the certificate but to learn nothing, despite the seemingly irrelevance of the certificate in the job market. 

To adapt to the changing global trend, Nigeria requires education reform to address the production of half-baked graduates, which is a consequence of the unfavourable learning conditions created by underfunding education. Many experts have raised alarms about the outdated nature of the Nigerian education curriculum, pointing out its mismatch with the needs of the Nigerian labour market. Effective reforms are necessary to address these issues.

Isah Kamisu Madachi, a fresh sociology graduate, writes from Katagum L.G.A, Bauchi State, and can be reached via isahkamisumadachi@gmail.com.